Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Comfort, woodstoves & Moms

As the autumn weather continues, our mornings are frosty and the house is chilly. Not enough to need heat all day but chilly enough to need a smudge in the wood stove. Not that I mind.....I love a fire in the kitchen cook stove. It's comforting to me and I love the smell of wood smoke. It's smells like home to me. I grew up in a home heated with wood and have always had a wood stove in my homes as an adult. I was extremely fortunate to find this little beauty hidden in a "junk" shop when we first moved to Maine. No lie, this poor stove was in the back of a building literally covered with dust and stuff. I uncovered it and checked it over as best I could and asked the man the price. "For that old thing" he replied, $175.00. My lucky day!! It took 4 men to load this on our pickup and off load it. It sat in our shop for 4 years after that because we couldn't put it in our mobile home. We set it outside and built a fire in it to make sure it didn't have cracks or any broken pieces. A few new fire brick and it was ready to go.

When we built our new home, it was basically designed our kitchen/dining room as this is where we gather the most. Steve built the beautiful tile hearth that the stove sets on. We had fireplace windows installed, one on each side of the stove. We also made sure there is room on either side of the stove for a comfy rocking chair. One for myself, and one for my Mom. The fireplace windows face south and the two big dining room windows are on the east side. This is a wonderful, sunny room.



I'm very fortunate that my Mom lives on the farm with us. During the winter, she isn't as busy as the spring and summer so she spends a fair amount of time tending the fire and occupying one of these rockers. I never have to worry about the fire going out. Usually I'm asking her not to get it too hot :) Once in awhile she will even pop a pan of her delicious biscuits or cornbread in the oven. Yum.....


Our new home has hot water baseboard heat. After spending one winter in the house, we decided that the living room was not warm enough for us without a wood stove. We are both very spoiled being able to sit next to the warmth when you want to. This past week Steve was on vacation and he installed a new hearth and wood stove in our livingroom.

This is what he started with. This is bare wall with concrete board over it to protect the wall from the heat.

This is the finished product - our beautiful new living room hearth with wood stove

The wood stove is a Vermont Castings Intrepid II. We purchased it from a friend of ours which saved us a considerable amount of money. It has a fireplace screen which you can use with doors open. Looks lovely in the evening sitting around it with all the dogs :) It's quite the little heater and the living room is quite warm in the evening. We installed ceiling fans in all the bedrooms this spring. Because of them, we didn't use any air conditioners this year at all. By reversing them, they will circulate the heat from both wood stoves and we should only need the oil to heat our hot water. A considerable savings and we are all looking for ways to save for sure.

Before I forget, I found this lovely flower blossoming in my garden. I'm not sure what it is........grows on a tall thick stem with quite a few leaves that resemble geranium leaves. Obviously a perennial as the frost hasn't bothered it. Any ideas?

12 comments:

DayPhoto said...

I just love your stove and your blog! I would like a stove like that also :)

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Nancy K. said...

What a beautiful, cozy corner you have for you and your Mom.

Lucky Ladies....


;-)

Unknown said...

Boy, I sure do love that stove with those side windows! The view during a winter storm must be stunning!! I have a screened in porch off the back of my kitchen that I want to enclose in windows next summer & putting in a wood stove is a must! I have priced those Vermont Wood stoves at Lehman Hardware down in Kidron OH (they specialize in Amish stoves, appliances etc) & the new ones are expensive! As always, I love reading your blogs! Oh, I forgot, my mom paints "for fun" but sometimes she can be persuaded:)

Michelle said...

Your flower looks like a hibiscus. And your home is lovely. We designed the home we built six years ago (we were in an old manufactured home before that, too) around some of our existing furniture, and a Fireplace Extraordinare in the great room. Gotta love wood heat.

Tammy said...

I also love the set up for your kitchen stove. Those windows are just wonderful, and I bet it is so cozy sitting there. I have a Vermont Castings wood stove too (can't remember style name right now). I love it, there a couple things I'd change if I could (like side loading ash pan, instead of front!), but for those glass doors I'd put up with allot! :-) Your new fireplace is lovely too. (I also think that is a hibiscus)
Tammy

Deb said...

Linda,
Thank you :) I've noticed in my area many of the old cook stoves being offered for sale very reasonable. Perhaps someday you will get yours :) Thanks for visiting!

nancy k.
Thanks....We are lucky :)

kristi,
Thank you!
It is a nice view when it's snowing and we sure got to watch it often last winter....
I love Lehmans - but your right - they are very expensive. Good luck with your screened porch/stove project. You will love it!

michelle,
Thank you - I never thought of a Hibiscus.....it sure is pretty and the last flowering plant in the garden. Your right - there's nothing like a nice wood fire :)

tammy,
Thank you - it is very cozy sitting by the kitchen stove, especially in the winter :)
The new stove has a front removable ashpan. It's not terribly difficult to empty - just a minor inconvenience. Definately worth putting up with for the doors :)
Thanks for visiting.

DayPhoto said...

Would you let me add you to my blog?

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Deb said...

Linda,
Thank you very much for asking - I'll add you to my blog roll as well :)
Debi

Pamela said...

Oh my...what wonderful times you and your mom must have sitting there. No words to cover how that must be.

melanie said...

How big is the flower? It may be rose mallow (of the hibiscus family). They typically bloom earlier in the year, but when it occurs as a wild flower (which it will) it is more varied. Does it close in the evening?

Deb said...

pamela,
we do have some wonderful chats around the fire :)

melanie,
I'm not sure if it closes at night or not. The bloom is close to 3" across. This little garden was planted late in the season so things blossomed late. I'd like to plant it again next year but earlier :)

Thanks everyone for your comments :)

dp said...

I just came across your blog recently and am enjoying reading through your posts. That is an awesome looking wood cookstove! You got a great price on it too. We bought a Bakers' Choice wood cookstove three years ago and use it to heat our home and for cooking/baking. We love it. Wood heat is great!